Two days ago, SweetWater Brewing Company celebrated seventeen years of treating the South to some of the best fermented goodies this side of the Mason-Dixie line -- or anywhere in the world, for that matter. So to celebrate, SweetWater is once again hosting a birthday party of epic proportions at their Atlanta-based brewery.

This Sunday, February 23, from 2-6 p.m., SweetWater Brewing Co. will be throwing it down with a party featuring a laundry list of brews including cellared fare and past releases from the Dank Tank series of one-off brews. Guests will be treated to live music from Like a Locomotive, and will take home a souvenir glass befitting the special beer concocted for this special occasion, a Brett-infused Saison-style ale.

Brewers went big on this one with a complex Saison farmhouse style ale with everything in it but the pitchfork. Brewers used 2-Row, rye, wheat, Munich, 13/17 and Melanoidin malts; Galena, Saaz, Centennial and Amarillo hops; fermented it with French Saison yeast; and then ran a secondary fermentation with Brettanomyces Bruxellensis. The yeast montage is responsible for the brew’s big 9% ABV and its tart effervescent flavors.

Head brewer Nick Nock discusses the brew thusly:

The malt bill gives this brew an earthy, spicy flavor with a light and fluffy mouth-feel, while the hops deliver a moderate bitterness blended with a bit of lemon-lime citrus from the finishing hops. Together, the 2+ month fermentation and cellar time, malt bill, hop bill, and yeast strains all work harmoniously to produce a natural tasting, lighter-bodied (for high-gravity) brew, perfect for some outdoors sippin’ in the spring.

The 17th Anniversary Ale will debut at the birthday bash, and will hit shelves in 22-ounce bombers and in limited draft accounts the last week of February.

In addition to the 17th Anniversary brew and the brewery's regular lineup, guests will also be able to wrap their tastebuds around the following brews:

Second Helping IPA

The Gimp

Ghoulash

2012 Festive Ale

Danktoberfest

Brown Eye Buckeye

Big Ol' Belgian Blue Balls

Some Strange

The Price is Wrong

15th Anniversary Ale

16th Anniversary Ale

2014 Happy Ending w/ Raspberries in a Bourbon Barrel

2014 Happy Ending w/ Mint in a Bourbon Barrel

LowRYEder Aged in a Rye Whiskey Barrel

Happy Ending/Exodus Blend in a Bourbon Barrel

Corsair Barrel Aged Brews

And in case that isn't lip-smackin' enough, there will be food trucks on hand to serve up other scrumptious goods (of the non-alcoholic variety).

Tickets are $12 in advance and are available for purchase here, and will be $17 at the door (if there are still any to go around!) For more information about the party, check out the brewery's event page.

I hope to see everyone there for a grand celebration of Seventeen Years of Heady Beers!

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A full-time beer aficionado and part-time homebrewer, Lonnie holds a Bachelor's degree in English Literature from Augusta State University (now Georgia Regents University), where he performed scholarly research on the subject of alcohol in English literature. A Cicerone® Certified Beer Server, Lonnie has served as a bartender and worked in beer and wine at the retail level, and has served as a judge at various festivals and contests. When Lonnie isn't enjoying craft beer, he works as an IT Technician and Consultant, and serves as a Commissioned Officer in the Georgia Army National Guard. Contact Lonnie at lonniecbest@gmail.com.